The Hanukkah candle is used to celebrate the Jewish holiday known as the Festival of Lights. It is lit for eight nights, typically beginning on the 25th day of Kislev. Lighting the Hanukkah candle is an important ritual for Jewish families who celebrate the holiday as it honours the divine work of the Maccabees who reclaimed the Holy Temple. The act of lighting the Hanukkah candle is no simple affair, so how does it work?
What is a Hanukkah Candle?
A Hanukkah candle is a cylindrical candle made of wax or another combustible material. It is usually called a menorah in Hebrew. It has eight branches, or pockets, along its long sides for each of the eight nights of the Jewish holiday. A traditional Hanukkah candle is made of beeswax, and the Hanukkah menorah usually has space for a ninth, often called the shamash (servant light) which is used to light the other eight.
How Does the Hanukkah Candle Work?
Hanukkah candles are lit with the shamash. Families traditionally gather around the menorah and recite Hebrew prayers and blessings as each candle is lit. The shamash is lit first, followed by one candle on the first night, two on the second night, and so on until all eight candles are lit on the eighth night. After each night of lighting, the shamash is used to relight the candles.
Families celebrate the lighting by eating traditional Hanukkah foods which often feature oil, like latkes, to remember the story of the Maccabees and their successful miracle and reclaiming of the Temple.
Hanukkah candles are often placed on windowsills for passersby to appreciate the celebration, however, it is important that the candles are placed so that the flame is facing inwards, against the wall, so that the flame does not get blown out by the wind.
The Hanukkah candle has an important place in the Jewish tradition, and lighting it is an exciting part of the Festival of Lights. The Hanukkah candle is lit as a physical reminder of Passover, a time to celebrate the freedom of the Jewish people from Greece and honour the divine works of the Maccabees. Lighting the Hanukkah candle is a solemn yet uplifting ritual that joins together Jewish families during the eight nights of celebration.
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Last update 2023-11-27. Price and product availability may change.